Radio active tool holder

ABSTRACT

In a radio active tool holder which includes a power rotated and longitudinally fed shank normally projected into a cylindrical body adapted to mount a tool holder and wherein a series of radial slots are provided in said shank adapted to receive drive balls carried by said body and wherein the radio active ring is mounted upon said body and normally exposed with respect to a longitudinally movable shield on said body and wherein a series of pin and guide slot means are provided between the shield and shank permitting the shield to rotate with the shank and move longitudinally thereof and wherein a pin and slot connection between the shield and body includes angular slot in the body whereby relative rotation of the shank with respect to the body effects longitudinal movement of said shield so as to protectively enclose the radio active ring.

United States Patent 1191 Smith RADIO ACTIVE TOOL HOLDER [75] Inventor: Theodore M. Smith, Detroit, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Lucille G. Smith and Theodore M.

Smith, Trustees of the Theodore M. Smith Trust, Detroit, Mich.

221 Filed: Feb. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 225,769

[52] US. Cl 279/1 A, 279/19, 408/16 [51] Int. Cl 1323b 31/04 [58] Field of Search 279/76, 1 R, l A, 9, 19;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,627,437 12/1971 Smith ..408/l6 Primary ExaminerGil Weidenfeld H Attorney, Agent, or FirmCullen, Settle, Sloman & Cantor Jan. 29, 1974 [57 ABSTRACT In a radio active tool holder which includes a power rotated and longitudinally fed shank normally projected into a cylindrical body adapted to mount a tool holder and wherein a series of radial slots are provided in said shank adapted to receive drive balls carried by said body and wherein the radio active ring is mounted upon said body and normally exposed with respect to a longitudinally movable shield on said body and wherein a series of pin and guide slot means are provided between the shield and shank permitting the shield to rotate with the shank and move longitudinally thereof and wherein a pin and slot connection between the shield and body includes angular slot in the body whereby relative rotation of the shank with respect to the body effects longitudinal movement of said shield so as to protectively enclose the radio active ring.

6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure RADIO ACTIVE TOOL HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore in radio active tool holders there is normally employed a power driven shank which is positioned within a body with the latter mounting a radio active ring and wherein a shield movably mounted upon the body is normally retracted with respect to the radio active ring. In earlier constructions such as my co-pending United States patent application on a FLOATING TOOL HOLDER, Ser. No. 189,654 filed Oct. 15, 1971, relative longitudinal movement between the shank and body were required in order to effect such longitudinal movement of the shield as to protectively enclose the radio active ring on the body.

Since there are many situations where it would be desirable that there need not, nevertheless, be a relative longitudinal movement of the shank with respect to the body, but at the same time, an initial forward movement of the shield with respect to the body so as to enclose the radio active ring, such function is provided for herein.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to incorporate upon the body a normally retracted shield spaced with respect to a radio active ring on said body and to establish a rotative drive relation between the shank and body without relative longitudinal movement there between and, wherein, by virtue of a series of pin and slot connections, the initial rotative movement of the shank with respect to the body is effective to provide an immediate longitudinal movement of the shield with respect to the body to protectively enclose the radio active element.

It is a further object to provide an improved radio active tool holder wherein there is no relative longitudinal movement between the shank and body and wherein the drive relationship between the shank and the body for rotative movement permits merely an initial rotary movement of the shank with respect to the body. It is this relative movement which causes longitudinal movement of the shield with respect to the body by virtue of a pin and angular slot guide means between the shield and body and wherein an additional pin and slot means are incorporated so as to constrain the shield for rotary movement with the shank and longitudinal movement relative thereto.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing.

THE DRAWING The single FIGURE of the drawing is a longitudinal partly broken away schematic view of the present radio active tool holder with the rotative drive and longitudinal feed spindle fragmentarily shown.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing, the overall radio active tool holder 11 includes as shown broken away the power rotated longitudinally feedable shank 13 adapted for connection with a corresponding machine tool spindle 15 of conventional construction.

A cylindrical body 17 is loosely positioned over said shank and a rotative drive connection is established there between employing a series of spaced drive balls 21 nested within corresponding radial apertures in said body and movably positioned within the respective series of radial exterior slots 23 on said shank.

The cylindrical ball cage 25 overlies the body and the balls 21 for retaining them within said body, the said cage being anchored upon said body by the snap ring 27.

The radio active ring 29 is mounted upon and secured to the body adjacent one end of said cage and is normally exposed in view of the normal retracted position of the cylindrical shield 31 which overlies end portions of said body and shank.

In the present construction, the shield is constrained for rotary movement with the shank and at the same time, is adapted for longitudinal movement with respect to the shank by virtue of the elongated slot 37 in the under surface of said shield which cooperatively receives the transverse radial pin 39 on said shank.

There is a further pin and angular slot guide means established between the shield and body so that upon initial rotative movement of the shank with respect to the body, the shield will be automatically advanced longitudinally of the body so as to protectively overlie and enclose the radio active ring 29.

For this purpose there is provided upon the under surface of the shield the radial pin 33 which normally extends into an angular slot 35 in said body. The slot extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shank so that upon initial rotative movement of the shank with respect to said body and in view of the drive relationship between the pin 33 and the angular slot 35 there is, thus, an initial immediate longitudinal movement of the shield with respect to the body.

At the same time, of course, as the shield rotates with the shank in view of its pin and slot relation, namely, the slot 37 and the pin 39, there is a corresponding longitudinal movement of the shield with respect to the shank.

While the shield 31 is shown in its normal retracted position as limited by the pin 39, there is also mounted upon said shield the shield guide retaining ring 41 held in place by snap ring 43 nested within the under surface of said shield.

The cylindrical body 17 has a forwardly arranged body end plate 45 for transmitting longitudinal thrust and rotative drive to the remainder of the structure of the tool holder which includes the adapter assembly 49 and the tool holder shank 51.

The structure, function and operation of the adapter assembly and the tool holder shank and the method of securing the same forms no part of the present inven tion and, accordingly, its structure is not referred to in detail.

Suffice it to say, however, that interposed between forward end of said shank and the body end plate 45 are a series of thrust and radial balls 47.

Thus, during the operation of the present radio active tool holder, there is no relative longitudinal movement between the shank 13 and body 17, but on the other hand, there is an end thrust drive relationship between said members in view of the balls 47. Thus, one holder will suffice for all types of adapters.

In view of the fact that the slots 23 in the shank are radial and extend upon the outside surface of said shank, their length determines the initial rotative movement of the shank with respect to the body, with the corresponding ball 21 at the beginning of the rotative movement of the shank moving from the one end of the slot 23 to its other end which is in the nature of lost motion.

It is this lost motion or relative motion between the shank and the body which causes the shield 31 to automatically move longitudinally with respect to the body in view of the fact that the shield rotates with the shank and at the same time is free for longitudinal movement with respect thereto.

This longitudinal movement is caused by the rotating shield and its depending pin 31 engaged in the angular slot 35 in said body.

Rotation of shank 13 within body 17 limited by the drive balls 21 retained in said body and secured by the cage 25, permits the shield 31, secured from rotating on the shank 13, but permitted to move lengthwise thereof by the shield guide pin 39, may be advanced or retracted by the helical slot 35 in said body engaged by the shield radial pin 33.

While one such pin 33 and helical slot 35 are shown in the drawing, it is contemplated that there may be more than one such pin and helical slot for accomplishing the longitudinal forward feed movement of the shield with respect to the body during the initial rotation of the shank 13 with respect to said body.

It, therefore, follows that upon reverse rotation of the shank 13 with respect to the body, there will be again an initial relative rotary movement of the shank with respect to the body due to the radial length of the slots 23, and this will cause an automatic retraction of the shield 31 with respect to the radio active ring 29.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a radio active tool holder, a shank adapted for connection to a power rotated longitudinal feed drive spindle;

an elongated cylindrical body having a longitudinal bore receiving and engaged by said shank;

said body adapted to removably mount a tool holder adapter for rotative drive and longitudinal feed; there being a series of spaced radial slots in the outer surface of said shank;

a series of spaced drive balls nested and retained in corresponding radial apertures in said body, with said balls respectively extending radially into said slots respectively establishing a rotative drive connection between said shank and body;

there being an initial rotation of said shank relative to said body;

a normally exposed radio active ring mounted on said body;

a cylindrical shield movably mounted on said body normally retracted with respect to and exposing said ring;

pin and slot guide means interconnecting said shield and shank contraining said shield to rotation with and longitudinal movement relative to said shank;

and pin and angular slot guide means interconnecting said shield and body whereby initial relative rotation between said shank and body effects relative longitudinal movement of said shield with respect to said body so as to overlie and protectively enclose said radio active ring.

2. In the radio active tool holder of claim 1, the length of said shank radial slots determining the amount of initial rotary movement of said shank relative to said body.

3. In the tool holder of claim 1, end thrust and radial balls interposed between the forward end of said shank and said body.

4. In the tool holder of claim 1, said pin and slot guide means between said shield and shank including an axially extending slot in the under surface of said shield and a radial pin on said shank extending into said slot.

5. In the tool holder of claim 1, said pin and angular slot guide means between said shield and body including an elongated slot on the exterior of said body inclined at an acute angle to the body axis, and a radial pin on said shield depending into said angular slot.

6. In the tool holder of claim 1, said pin and slot guide means between said shield and shank including an axially extending slot in the under surface of said shield and a radial pin on said shank extending into said slot; said pin and angular slot guide means between said shield and body including an elongated slot on the exterior of said body inclined at an acute angle to the body axis, and a radial pin on said shield depending into said 

1. In a radio active tool holder, a shank adapted for connection to a power rotated longitudinal feed drive spindle; an elongated cylindrical body having a longitudinal bore receiving and engaged by said shank; said body adapted to removably mount a tool holder adapter for rotative drive and longitudinal feed; there being a series of spaced radial slots in the outer surface of said shank; a series of spaced drive balls nested and retained in corresponding radial apertures in said body, with said balls respectively extending radially into said slots respectively establishing a rotative drive connection between said shank and body; there being an initial rotation of said shank relative to said body; a normally exposed radio active ring mounted on said body; a cylindrical shield movably mounted on said body normally retracted with respect to and exposing said ring; pin and slot guide means interconnecting said shield and shank contraining said shield to rotation with and longitudinal movement relative to said shank; and pin and angular slot guide means interconnecting said shield and body whereby initial relative rotation between said shank and body effects relative longitudinal movement of said shield with respect to said body so as to overlie and protectively enclose said radio active ring.
 2. In the radio active tool holder of claim 1, the length of said shank radial slots determining the amount of initial rotary movement of said shank relative to said body.
 3. In the tool holder of claim 1, end thrust and radial balls interposed between the forward end of said shank and said body.
 4. In the tool holder of claim 1, said pin and slot guide means between said shield and shank including an axially extending slot in the under surface of said shield and a radial pin on said shank extending into said slot.
 5. In the tool holder of claim 1, said pin and angular slot guide means between said shield and body including an elongated slot on the exterior of said body inclined at an acute angle to the body axis, and a radial pin on said shield depending into said angular slot.
 6. In the tool holder of claim 1, said pin and slot guide means between said shield and shank including an axially extending slot in the under surface of said shield and a radial pin on said shank extending into said slot; said pin and angular slot gUide means between said shield and body including an elongated slot on the exterior of said body inclined at an acute angle to the body axis, and a radial pin on said shield depending into said angular slot. 